Recall for 2012-14 BMW X3 Models with N20/N26 engine for loss of brake power

Delivery of N20 and N26 powered vehicles stopped as a result of power brake assist problem

On September 26th, BMW of North America announced to NHTSA its intention to conduct a voluntary Recall on certain 2012-2014 model year BMW 3 Series, 5 Series, X1, X3 and Z4 models equipped with the N20 or N26 engine, produced from May 2012 to August 2013.

Affected vehicles in dealer inventories will not be sold or delivered to customers until the recall repair has been performed. Vehicles at BMW vehicle delivery centers will be corrected before shipment to dealerships. Existing owners will be notified of the recall by letter with a solution coming in December.

The Problem:
The oil supply from the intake camshaft to the brake vacuum pump can become restricted. If this happens the brake vacuum pump could fail due to lack of lubrication, resulting in a loss of power brake assist.

The hydraulic brakes will still function to stop the vehicle but without power assist. Without assist the driver will need to apply much greater pedal pressure to stop the vehicle. The distance required to stop the vehicle will increase as most drivers will not be able to apply enough brake pedal pressure.

In the event of a loss of brake power assist pull the emergency brake and apply as much brake pedal pressure as possible. If your BMW has an electronic parking brake pull up and hold the switch to engage the brake.

Move away from traffic and park in a safe location as soon as possible. Contact BMW Roadside Assistance and have your vehicle taken to the nearest BMW dealer.

Solution and Repair
A repair solution for vehicles already on the road is under development and not available at this time. Existing owners will be notified of the recall in November by letter and again in December by letter when parts are available. Wait to receive your notification letter before contacting your dealership for service. The repair letter will be sent when the dealership has the necessary parts, tools and procedures to preform the repair.

The solution involves inserting a locking ring onto the camshaft so the oil supply to the brake assist vacuum pump is not impaired. The repair will take approximately two hours but can vary depending on your BMW dealers schedule. The repair will be preformed free of charge.

Known accidents
BMW is aware of three minor accidents with no confirmed injuries as a result of this problem. The NTSB has 7 reported incidents but that does not mean they have 7 accident reports. Vehicles affected have experienced the failure at low millage. It is not clear if having a higher mileage car means you will not have the failure.

Should you continue to drive your N20/N26 powered BMW
BMW says it is safe to continue to drive your vehicle for now. As soon as you get the service letter that will be coming in December you should have the recall work performed. If you feel a loss of braking power pull to the side of the road and have your BMW towed to the nearest dealer by BMW Roadside Assistance.

Are 4 series deliveries going to be affected
BMW has not commented at this time on the 4 series. Models produced as recently as August are affected so it is possible early production 4 series (production started in July) will be held at the vehicle delivery center until the repair is available. We will continue to follow the 4 series delivery story and provided updated information as it happens.

What to do now
We have no choice but to wait for the letters and more information from BMW. In the mean time everyone be careful out there. There are 7 reported incidences of issues to the NTSB so far. The NTSB estimates that for ever report there are 40+ incidents that are not reported. Has anyone had trouble loss of brake assist in their N20/N26 powered BMW? Does this make anyone nervous to drive their BMW

Recall Update:

This is a follow-up to the delivery stop announcement of certain N20 and N26-equipped models. Vehicles on the delivery stop VIN list must not be retailed or delivered until the defect has been corrected.

Technical Description
An oil plug in the intake camshaft may become displaced, restricting oil supply to the vacuum pump. Continued operation may lead to failure of the vacuum pump, resulting in loss of power-assist braking. Only camshafts from one supplier exhibit this issue; therefore, not all N20 and N26-equipped vehicles are involved in the delivery stop and Recall.

A repair solution is under development to secure the intake camshaft oil plug, but will not be available before December.

Customer Notification
Owners of vehicles which have already been delivered will receive initial notification in November, informing them of the issue. A second letter will be mailed in December, advising customers to schedule an appointment with your center to have the Recall completed, when parts and the repair procedure become available.

Last edited by Bernie@Bimmerfest; 10-16-2013 at 09:49 AM.
Reason: Update!